


Save Me

by ladyofthenorthernlights



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: AU where Chris actually gets to Josh in time, Chris being a badass, Chris being protective, Climbing Class, Hurt/Comfort, Josh losing it, M/M, Mental Instability, Protective Chris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-19 09:15:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4740971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofthenorthernlights/pseuds/ladyofthenorthernlights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where Chris and the stranger get back to the shed in time to save Josh.</p><p>Inspired from the song "Save Me" by Globus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Josh?”

Chris’ voice was shaking. He had never been this terrified before. Never. The Wendigo was out there, lurking in the shadows, just waiting to make its move. The stranger was just behind him, flamethrower ready in case they were attacked. But Chris knew that it wouldn’t. Not yet at least.

“Wendigo’s using yer boyfriend as bait,” the stranger muttered, as if he had read Chris’ mind. “And we’re walking straight into the trap.”

Chris swallowed and glanced over his shoulder before stepping inside the shed.

“Josh? You alright?”

He heard a low whimper, followed by the heart-breaking sound of his best friend’s voice.

“Chris? Chris came back?”

Slowly, Chris stepped into sight, relieved to see that Josh was still sitting where they had left him. He was bleeding from where the Wendigo’s claws had slashed his cheek, and his whole body was trembling.

“Oh god,” Chris said under his breath, then hurried over to Josh and knelt down before him, cupping his face. He could see the insanity in Josh’s eyes, but there was also so much pain and fear.

“You left me… I thought you’d never come back… I… I’m not… I’m not _feeling_ well, Chris.”

“You’re bleeding,” Chris said, feeling the panic rise in his chest. There was no way he’d be able to get Josh back in this condition. He was too weak. Too confused.

“Chris… Chris, Chris, Chris,” Josh said in a sing-song voice.

“Ssssssh,” Chris said soothingly, his thumb stroking Josh’s cheekbone. “I’m gonna get you out of here. You’re gonna be fine, Josh.”

Josh’s eyes widened and he shook his head frantically, making Chris pull his hands back.

“No. No nonononono no… It was here, it was looking at me… We’re never getting out, never getting away…” His voice cracked and Josh averted his eyes. “Don’t leave me here Chris… Don’t… Please, please don’t…”

“Hey,” Chris said, gently grabbing Josh’s shoulders. “I’m not gonna leave you. I’m gonna…”

He let out a shuddering breath, because he had already let Josh down twice tonight. It was the first one he felt worst about, even though it was just a prank. He had chosen to save Josh, he knew he had chosen to save Josh, and yet that saw blade had cut right though him! And for the next hours, it wasn’t the screams of the Wendigo that had haunted him. It was the sound of Josh screaming in agony that had echoed through his head. And then he had left him again… He had left his best friend tied up like a madman!

“I don’t want to lose you again,” he whispered, meeting Josh’s eyes.

“Oh for fuck’s sake! Just get ‘im loose already,” the stranger snapped. “Or we’ll all die out here.”

He tossed Chris a knife, then turned around as if to guard the door. Chris let out a shuddering breath and gave Josh a reassuring nod before moving around him to cut the bonds.

A loud screech cut through the air, almost making Chris drop the knife. Josh seemed to stiffen, true terror shining in his eyes.

“They are coming,” he whispered just as Chris cut through the bonds. “They’re here….”

Chris helped Josh to his feet, ignoring how red and raw his wrists were from the binding. He should never have made them so tight. He should never have left Josh in the first place.

“You must be freezing,” he mumbled, ignoring Josh’s warning. He shrugged out of his jacket and offered it to Josh, who just stared blankly at him until Chris was forced to put it on him.

“Thank youuu…” Josh hummed, his head tilting from side to side. This was bad. This was really fucking bad. If they went out there, he was going to lose Josh. The Wendigo would snatch him before Chris had the chance to react. But they couldn’t stay here either.

It was only then Chris remembered that Josh still had the keys to the Cable Car. If he could get himself and Josh there…

“Go,” the stranger said, as if he had once again read Chris’ mind. “I’ll get the others.” He eyed Josh, and then looked at Chris with a frown. “But it is your funeral.”

Chris bit his lip, but only nodded. He grabbed Josh’s arm and pulled it around his neck, his other arm winding around his waist to support him. The stranger gave him one last look, then ventured out of the shed and into the night.

“Go? Go where?” Josh asked in confusion.

Chris took a deep breath. Once again, he had to choose between saving Josh and saving Ashley. He could feel a lump forming in his throat at the very thought, yet just looking at Josh standing there, looking so fragile and broken was enough to make up his mind.

“The Cable Car,” Chris said. The stranger would get the others. He knew he would. And what could he do to save them anyway? Nothing. But he could try to save Josh. He had the key to the Cable Car and he had the shotgun. Perhaps that was enough. And if the stranger had distracted the Wendigos for a while, they might be able to get out of there.

Josh was about to object, but Chris cut him off. “I’m getting you out of here. I’m getting you to safety. The others will be safe in the house until the chopper comes at dawn.”

At least he hoped they would.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter turned out a lot longer than I expected, and it was exciting to write. I tried my best to stay true to the game with the action and the standing still bit, and I hope you get that same feeling the game gave you when you read this. Also I am sorry for your feels...

The screams of the Wendigos were getting closer. Chris was getting more and more nervous by the minute, especially since it seemed like Josh was slipping away into some unknown state of mind. He was muttering to himself under his breath, his head twitching from side to side while he looked frantically around, seeing something only he could see.

“It is gonna be okay, bro,” Chris said in a quiet, soothing voice. “We’re gonna be okay.”

Josh didn’t respond, he just kept on muttering to himself about things that didn’t make sense to Chris. It was like he was talking to someone who only existed in Josh’s head. Chris had been with him through the last year, or at least most of the way. A few months ago, Josh had grown more distant and pushed everyone away. He realised now that it was because he was setting up everything here, preparing for this very, if not intentionally, deadly prank. But even through all that, Chris had not seen him like this. He knew Josh was dealing with both PTSD and dementia, and though he had some minor breakdowns, it was nothing like this.

Josh had been through hell tonight though. They all had. Chris wondered if this whole event would leave some mental scar on him as well. It probably would. Of course it would. But this night had cracked something inside Josh’s head and triggered this. He was laughing now, a hollow, frightened laughter that Chris never had heard before. Not knowing what else to do, he stopped and let the shotgun fall to the ground before grabbing both of Josh’s shoulders, forcing him to look at him.

“Josh,” he said in the calmest voice he could conjure. “Josh, I need you to snap out of it bro.”

“You’re wrong,” Josh mumbled, his eyes unfocused, as if he wasn’t even seeing Chris. “No, you’re wrong… It’s my fault…”

Chris could feel his stomach twist at the words. Whatever was going on in Josh’s mind, guilt was at the centre of it.

“Josh,” Chris repeated, a bit slower this time. He moved his hands from his best friend’s shoulders to his face, gently making Josh look at him. He offered him a tired smile while his head frantically tried to figure out what to do. “Listen to me. It wasn’t your fault. What… What happened to Hannah and Beth wasn’t your fault… This isn’t your fault….”

“I… I didn’t _kill_ anyone,” Josh babbled, his eyes focused on something behind Chris.

“I know you didn’t,” Chris said, nodding to show that he agreed. “You never meant for someone to get hurt, isn’t that right?”

Josh didn’t answer. He was staring over Chris’s shoulder so intensely that Chris just had to turn his head and look.

The Wendigo was sitting crouched down between a tree and a bush just ten feet from where he and Josh stood. The shotgun was lying useless on the ground beside him, but he knew that he would never be able to get it in time. One sudden movement and they would both be dead. Slowly, he turned his head to look back at Josh.

“Don’t. Move.” He said quietly.

Josh didn’t seem to hear him. He was beginning to shake his head, muttering _no_ over and over again. The Wendigo growled loudly, slowly moving towards them. Chris could hear it move towards them and even if it couldn’t see them from the lack of movement, he was sure it could hear his heart hammering loudly in his throat. Josh was still babbling and he started to twitch again, causing the Wendigo to give a shriek.

Chris had no time to think about another solution. It might cause further damage to Josh’s mentality, but it was the most effective way to shut him up and, hopefully, also stun him. Without hesitation, he leaned in and pressed his lips against Josh’s.

Somewhere, deep inside the messed up mind of Joshua Washington, a switch was flipped. His whole body froze, every limb going limp from the sensation. Chris could feel him go still, but he kept his lips on Josh’s, afraid of what might happened if he pulled away. Through the corner of his eye, he could see the Wendigo grow confused and begin to look around. It started to move again, heading the way they had come. The cry of a deer was heard, followed by some quick movement further up the path. The Wendigo snarled, then followed so quickly it vanished out of sight before Chris could blink.

Josh must have sensed the danger was over as well, because he pulled back from the kiss and took a step away from Chris.

“Wh-what? Chris? What happened?”

Chris let out a shuddering breath and bowed his head. He felt like he was about to collapse any second, both from exhaustion and the fading adrenaline rush that had kept him going until now. He knelt down and picked up the shotgun.

“You were out of it man,” he said, not looking at Josh.

“Chris…”

“We need to move,” Chris said, averting the question he knew was coming.

Josh hesitated, then nodded and followed closely behind Chris.

It only took them a few minutes to get to the Cable Car station, now when Chris didn’t have to half drag, half carry Josh. The area seemed secure, yet Chris didn’t take any chances. Shotgun ready, he moved slowly towards the door to the control room and tried the handle. It was locked.

“Josh,” he said as quietly as he could. “Do you have the key?”

Josh looked confused for a moment, but then he nodded and put his hand in his pocket to fish out the small key. He handed it to Chris with a nervous smile, seeming almost himself again. Chris took the key, but then he hesitated.

“Josh. Go to the door of the Cable Car. When I get the power working again, I need you to get inside as quickly as you can.”

Josh looked confused. “You’re not coming?”

Chris sighed. It felt so wrong to just leave without the others. He couldn’t leave them behind, not Ashley and Sam.

“I have to go back,” he said, not looking at Josh. “I… I cannot leave them there to die.”

Josh shook his head. “No, Chris you can’t… You… You promised… You promised you wouldn’t leave.”

“Josh, for once in your life, do as I say,” Chris said. “I need you to get to safety. I’ll come back. I promise, I’ll come back.”

“You won’t,” Josh said flatly. He was looking directly at Chis now, more focused than he had been the last six months combined. “You won’t come back. I know you won’t.”

“I will,” Chris insisted. “I need to get the others. Ashley… _Sam_ … All of them. I just cannot leave them there to die.”

Pain flashed in Josh’s eyes and to Chris’ relief, he nodded, then turned and headed over to the door to the Cable Car. Chris put the key in the lock and twisted it around, opening up the door. It was even colder inside the control room, and pitch black. He nervously fumbled around in the dark for a moment before he found the small box on the wall and opened it, flipping the switch without hesitating. There was an audible click, and then the lights came on all at ones. He could hear the generator to the Cable Car begin to warm up and he gave a sigh of relief.

“Chris.”

There was no mistaking the terror in Josh’s voice and without thinking, Chris ran out. He froze once he spotted the Wendigos. Two of them, both standing on their back feet twenty yards away. Josh had his back pressed against the Cable Car door, fingers ready to push the button that would open it.

Chris lifted the shotgun and started to move slowly towards Josh.

“Open the door,” he said as calmly as he could. “Josh. Open. The door.”

One of the Wendigos shrieked and started moving towards them on all four.

“Josh.”

There was the sound of the lock opening and Chris knew that there was no going back up to the lodge. The only safe place was inside the Cable Car. There was no way the Wendigos could get to them in there, and the cable was too thick for the creatures to cut.

Then everything happened in a flash. Chris ran for the door, yanking it open and pushing Josh inside. He could hear the protests from his best friend, but before he could even think about following or closing the door, the Wendigos were on him. He lifted the shotgun, trying to get a good aim, but them he was hit hard, flying backwards and landing on his back in the snow. There was a burning sensation on his chest and he didn’t have to look to know that the Wendigo’s claws had slashed him.

The shotgun was lying on the ground beside him, just out of reach, and the Wendigos were approaching him slowly. If he moved, he would die before he was close to reaching the gun.

Cold drops of sweat trickled down his brow as the Wendigos crept slowly towards him. He was going to die. There was no way he’d get out of this alive. In a matter of seconds, they would see him and he’d be torn to shreds. He closed his eyes, silently sending a prayer to whatever divine power, asking that Josh may live. That he wouldn’t die a horrible death all on his own, but that he would get to safety and live a long, and eventually, happy life.

“HEY!”

The door to the Cable Car flew open and Chris could see Josh standing in the doorway, waving his arms. It was just the distraction he needed. Without thinking, he threw himself after the gun, grabbing it and rolling onto his stomach. The nearest Wendigo shrieked loudly, and he responded by shooting it directly in the mouth, sending it flying backwards.

He pushed himself to his feet and bolted for the door, turning to shoot the second Wendigo in the shoulder before it could get to him. With both of the creatures down, he stumbled inside the door and Josh slammed it shut, turning the lock.

“Into the Car!” Chris shouted, and Josh didn’t hesitate to follow the order. The doors had already opened and they both hurried inside.

“Come on, come on, come on!” Chris shouted as he frantically pushed the button that made the door to the Car slide shut. Josh was lying in a heap on the floor, panting heavily with wild panic in his eyes. The doors began to slide shut, but in the last second, the hands of the Wendigo grabbed it and widened the closing gap.

“Shit!” Chris said and instinctively went to the shotgun, but when he looked, it was in the hands of Josh.

“See you in hell, you son of a bitch,” Josh snarled before pulling the trigger. The Wendigo gave a cry of agony and fell backwards. The doors slid shut and the Cable Car started moving.

He threw the now empty shotgun onto the floor beside him and gave Chris an exhausted look.

The last of the adrenaline left Chris’ body and he collapsed on the floor beside Josh, closing his eyes. He didn’t want to look at his wound yet, but judging from the pain it was pretty bad. His green woollen jacket was already soaked in blood beneath the rifts of the fabric. The wound on Josh’s face wasn’t bleeding anymore, which was a good sign. He’d probably have a scar there for a rest of his life, but it was a small price to pay to be alive.

“We did it,” Chris mumbled, managing a small smile.

Josh almost looked his normal self, giving Chris a weak smile in return. “All because of you, Cochise. You saved my sorry ass at least three times out there.”

Chris made a face. “I’d be dead if you hadn’t distracted them there… Thanks…”

Josh didn’t reply. Instead he shifted closer to Chris and rested his head on his shoulder, closing his eyes.

“’m tired Chris…”

“I know,” Chris said. “But can you stay awake a little longer, until we get down?”

For some reason he didn’t want Josh to go to sleep. A part of him feared that if Josh closed his eyes, he would never open them again.

Josh didn’t respond.

“Hey,” Chris said, nudging him. “Don’t go disappearing on me again. I need you to stay with me, just for a little longer. The ride is only ten minutes, we-“

He was cut off by the Car coming to a sudden stop. The lights blinked, once, twice, then shut off.

“No,” Chris muttered, pushing himself to his feet. “No no no no! Fuck, they somehow managed to cut the power!”

He leaned against the window, looking out. He half expected to see the pale figures come crawling towards them on the cables, but all he could see was two pale shapes disappearing into the woods. They were too far away from the ground to be in any true danger, but Chris was still nervous. He stood there for several minutes, just waiting for something bad to happen. And then he was distracted by the sound of clattering teeth.

“You’re freezing,” Chris muttered as he sat down beside Josh. He had already given him his jacket, but it seemingly wasn’t enough. The temperature was dropping and it was even colder up here in the cold mountain air.

Without hesitation, he half pulled the jacket off Josh and slid one of his own arms inside. He wrapped the other around Josh’s body and attempted to zip it up. He got it halfway up before the zipper popped off and he had to give up.

“No homo,” Josh muttered with a hint of amusement in his voice. Despite himself and everything that had happened, Chris couldn’t help but smile.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait,” he sighed, resting his head against Josh’s.

“For how long?”

Chris licked his dry, chapped lips and closed his eyes.

"Until dawn."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, the next bit is gonna be really freaking angsty with them stuck in the freaking Cable Car for hours. Feedback much appreciated, I am so addicted to this series and this couple! They are ruining my life!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I woke up earlier than expected this morning by a freaking helicopter flying up and down the valley where I live. Hopefully they were looking for Josh.
> 
> I have no idea how this chapter turned out because I don't know how to write mental illnesses, so I kinda tried to get it as close to the game as possible. So yeah, probably not an accurate portrayal here, but at least I tried.

Josh knew he was losing it. Reality seemed to blend with the nightmares, creating strange visions before his eyes. He could see the monster; Wendigo Chris had called it, clear before his eyes. It was snarling at him, sharp teeth barely an inch from his face. And then it lashed out, its claws sending a burning sensation to Josh’s cheek. He flinched and closed his eyes.

_The next thing he knew, he was once again sitting before the desk of Dr. Hill. The old man seemed confused, as if he did not quite understand the situation. Neither did Josh._

_“How extraordinary,” Dr. Hill said after a long-stretched pause. He was standing by the window, looking out of it into the unknown that was outside. Josh could only look at him, not sure if he was supposed to say anything or not. This wasn’t real, was it? It seemed so real, because the old man was always there to guide him, or tell him right from wrong. He had been seeing this psychiatrist for almost a year now, so it had to be real. It just had to be real. But if this was real, then what was that other world? The world where Chris was currently holding him, the world where all the pain was. Could it be that it was all a product of his own imagination?_

_“Despite all your actions and all your choices, your friend Christopher still decided to help you. Tell me…” Dr. Hill said, turning around and moving back towards the table. He stopped right before Josh and leaned towards him, palms resting on the wood of the desk. “How does that make you feel?”_

_Josh could just stare at him, not knowing what to say. He wasn’t sure what was real anymore. If this world, the world with Dr. Hill and the shrink-sessions were real, it did not matter what he felt. Because that would mean Chris wasn’t real. But if this world wasn’t real…_

_“Why should I answer your questions?” Josh muttered. He was tired, oh so tired. All he wanted to do was to go to sleep and never wake up again._

_“I’m just trying to help you,” Dr. Hill replied. “Does it really matter what is real or not? Just answer my question.”_

_Weird. He couldn’t recall Dr. Hill reading his mind before._

_“I…” he started to say, then drifted off. How did it make him feel? Happy? Terrified? Uneasy?_

_“Safe. I-it makes me feel safe.”_

_“Hmmm,” Dr. Hill said, straightening back up again. “Very interesting. Because at the moment, you aren’t really safe, are you? I mean, maybe the Wendigos will not come for you, but you are still stuck in that cable car with a person who deep down resents you for what you have done.”_

_No. No, that wasn’t true. Chris didn’t resent him. Chris didn’t hate him. He couldn’t._

“Josh.”

When he opened them again, Chris was looking at him with clear concern in his eyes. He could feel cold hands on his face and for a moment, he wondered how long he’d been out. A while, judging from the look on Chris’ face. He forced himself to smile, to let Chris know he was there.

“Hey Cochise,” he said. His voice was dry and rusty, and he suddenly realised how thirsty he was. Chris seemed to relax and removed his hands from Josh’s face, letting them rest on his shoulders instead.

“You scared the living shit out of me bro,” Chris said, bowing his head. “I thought I lost you there…”

Josh looked at him, confused. Chris was worried? About him?

He shrugged and tilted his head to the side. Then he noticed that Chris was only wearing his green woollen shirt. And the jacket was on him. He snorted.

“You do know that the best way to get warm is to share body heat, right?” he said, trying his best to sound carefree and teasing. “Should have undressed me instead.”

He winked at Chris, who of course glanced away as if he was embarrassed. He always did that. Whenever Josh would joke about something sexual, Chris always seemed embarrassed. Probably because of Ashley. Yes, of course. He reacted like that because of Ashley. Not because of Josh.

Ashley… The others… Sam, Mike, Jess… Matt and Emily… He had dragged them all into this. Mike had told him Jessica was dead. But she couldn’t be. He hadn’t killed her. He hadn’t touched her.

_“Yes you did,”_ a voice whispered. _“You killed them. You dragged them up here. They’re probably all dead. And it is your fault.”_

“No!” Josh said, making Chris flinch. “No, it wasn’t me! I didn’t… I didn’t mean to!”

“Josh,” Chris said, but his voice was drowned out by the one in his head.

_“Murderer,”_ The voice said _. “Psychopath! You did this. They are all dead because of you!”_

“No. No no nonono!”

“Josh! Josh, please, stay with me bro.”

_“Your fault. All your fault. Hannah and Beth died because you failed to protect them. You’re a failure! You’re pathetic! And you’re gonna get Chris killed as well!”_

The loud, ear-shattering sound of an explosion made both their beads snap up. Chris stood to his feet slowly to see what had happened, and judging from his expression it was nothing good.

“The Lodge,” Chris whispered, staring out of the cable car window. “It… It’s burning…”

Josh could see the tears forming in his eyes, but before he could say anything, a helicopter flew over them and towards the lodge. He could hear voices coming from the speakers of the chopper, but it was impossible to hear what they were saying over the sound of the engine.

Chris sat back down again and gave a weak smile. “We’re gonna be alright. We’re gonna get out of here. They will find us soon, after they have picked up the others. I know they will.”

Josh closed his eyes again, trying his best to look relieved. But in truth, he was scared of what would happen next. The things he had done… They were going to lock him up, that was for sure. And he would never see Chris again.

Ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is another chapter coming as soon as I have time to write it. Maybe even two more. We'll see.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue team finds the two youths huddled together at the floor of the Cable Car. They are taken to the hospital, where their wounds are treated and the police asks them questions about what happened. Chris worries that Josh might confess to what he has done and end up in jail or a locked ward.

“Josh.”

_Claws dug into his cheek, ripping up his skin. Blood came flowing out of the four long gashes and ran down his chin. The Wendigo hissed at him. But he wasn’t watching its face. His eyes were on the butterfly tattoo on its arm._

“Could you please tell us what happened?”

_He could see his sister, smiling at him. She looked so innocent and happy. Josh had never seen her this excited before. He had just told her that Mike was coming with them to the lodge, and she was smiling from ear to ear. Then the smile faded. Her eyes lost all sign of happiness and became dead and hollow. Her skin turned grey and saggy, and her mouth stretched, teeth turning razor-sharp. She screamed, but the sound that came out of her twisted mouth was not human. And he knew she was no longer Hannah._

“Josh…”

The little red light of the camera was blinking rhythmically at him. He didn’t look at it. The lady who was sitting before him was dressed all in black, her red hair tied up in a tight knot at the back of her head. She was looking at him over the top of her spectacles, a notebook in her hands.

“I need you to tell us what happened up there,” she repeated.

Josh tried to remember if she was the cop or the psychiatrist they had hired in to prod at his brain and determine how crazy he was. He didn’t answer. Instead he looked away.

They had diagnosed him with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (again), only this time the doctors also said that he might not be as talkative as he used to. Despite that, they desperately tried to force a story out of him.

He didn’t look at her. If he stayed quiet for long enough, she would give up and just give him the information he wanted, without having to speak. And she did. After a long pause, she scribbled something down in her notebook and closed it.

“Chris is gonna live,” she said. “They are giving him blood transfusions and his wounds are gonna heal. There were no damage on his bones or internal organs, but he has suffered several blows to the head and some mild trauma. He keeps asking about updates about you.”

Josh’s eyes lit up at the words and he turned his head to look at her. Something inside of him relaxed. Chris had been rendered unstable for the last 24 hours, having lost a lot of blood from his finale fight with the Wendigos. But he was going to be alright. Relief didn’t even begin to describe what Josh was feeling.

He felt like smiling, but his lips would not move. The woman still saw his reaction and offered him a smile.

“He has asked to see you, but… I cannot let you talk to him before you give me your side of the story. I hope you understand why.”

He did. He did understand why, and yet he felt angry. It was unfair. He had not seen Chris for more than two days now, not since they were rescued.

The crew of medics and cops had seemed surprised to find the two youths huddled together at the floor of the Cable Car. Josh did not remember the Car moving, but it must have, because the next thing he knew the doors were opened and twelve people were standing outside, waiting to get in. Chris had been unconscious, skin pale and cold. They were both covered in blood and bruises and Josh had been muttering to himself until his voice was a raw whisper. It was almost dark outside by the time they were taken down from the mountain, and Josh remembered the red and blue flashes of light from the police and medical vans. They had carried Chris out on a stretcher, while he had been supported by two medics, all the while muttering incomprehensibly under his breath.

The next thing he knew was the hospital. He did not remember the ride here, or the horrible visions that must have plagued him on the way there. When he lifted his hand, he found he had strips on his face where the Wendigo’s claws had slashed him. His shoulder had been bandaged too, over the wound Ashley had made with the scissors. The pain in his shoulder only reminded him of Chris hitting him.

_“Why did you hit her, man?” Chris had shouted. “Why did you fucking hit her?!”_

Josh had lost control of himself. He had not meant to hit Ashley, but when she had stabbed him, the anger took over and he reacted without thinking. It had been an act of self-defence.

 

“Josh.”

His head snapped up and he looked at the woman. She was studying him closely, as if she was trying to read his mind. Something must have shown on his face, or he must have mumbled something without realising it. He gave a small shake of his head and looked down again.

“Thank you,” the woman said before standing up. She switched off the camera and left the room, leaving Josh with his thoughts.

 

*

 

“Who was this man? Do you know why he attacked you?”

Chris gave the cop a tired look. Ever since he woke up, they had been prodding him with all sorts of questions, asking what happened, how he was injured, how he and Josh got away. He had not answered straight away, the memories pushed to the back of his mind in an attempt to forget. Instead, he had asked about the others.

“The lodge was destroyed,” the cop had told him. Not the one who was interviewing him now, but a lady with red hair and glasses. She seemed familiar somehow, but Chris couldn’t place her right away. It was only the next day he remembered that she was the one leading the investigation of Hannah and Beth’s disappearance.

“We have found three bodies,” she continued after a pause. “But none of them have been identified yet.”

Chris didn’t need to ask who it was. Matt and Emily never returned to the lodge. They were most likely dead. And according to Mike, Jessica was dead. When he had left the lodge to go looking for Josh, only Sam, Ashley and Mike had been inside.

A pained look crossed his face and he looked away. It took him a while before he managed to give the officer the name of the three victims of the fire.

He then began to tell her. He told her about their trip there, how they planned to go back there to forget what happened last year. Josh had thought it a good way to move on, he informed her. They never expected for anything like this to happen.

“Mike and Jessica went to the guest cabin,” Chris had told her. “Matt and Emily went to fetch her bag by the Cable Car.” He didn’t mention the Ouija board or Josh faking his own death. Only that Sam had gone to take a bath and he, Josh and Ashley had just talked. Josh eventually left them, leaving Chris and Ashley on their own. The next thing they knew, Mike had crashed inside the door, telling them that Jessica was dead. Some psycho had taken her and killed her, and he had followed him to the old Sanatorium.

Chris had paused in the tale, his mind reeling. What if Josh told a different story? What if Josh confessed to having kidnapped him, Ashley and Sam? He was the only one who could confirm or deny the story, because all the others were most likely dead. Even the stranger who had helped him. The one he was now about to blame for killing everyone.

“Then Josh disappeared,” Chris said in a quiet voice. “And I went out to look for him… I found him in the shed, his face slashed up… We tried to escape, but the man followed us… I told Josh to run to the Cable Car while I held him off…”

“But how could a man give you those wounds?” the cop asked in confusion. “They look like the claws of some animal. If I didn’t know better, I’d say a bear attacked you.”

Chris bit the inside of his cheek. He had not thought about that.

“I… I don’t know,” he said after a pause. “It was dark and… It all happened so fast, I-“

His voice trailed off. The pain of losing his friends was finally catching up with him. He could feel his throat tighten as he realised he would never see Sam smile again. He would never hear Ashley’s laughter again. Mike would never tease him again.

“It’s alright,” the cop said. She closed her notebook and turned off the camera she was using to film him with. “You don’t have to answer any more questions for tonight.”

“What about Josh?” Chris asked. “I… I need to see him. I need to know...”

The woman looked at him for a long moment. “I hope you understand the situation Chris,” she said. “Josh hasn’t answered any of our questions and I cannot let you see him until he does.”

Chris could feel his heart sink into his stomach. He wasn’t allowed to see Josh?

“But-,” Chris began, but the woman cut him off.

“I’m sorry, but that’s the rules. He seems pretty unstable at the moment, and I fear he is sitting on a lot of information about your attacker. The wound on his face were expertly carved, probably with the same blade he used on you. His face is bruised, and it seems he has been hit several times. If this is the same guy who went after his sisters, he probably took out a lot of frustration on Josh. After all, he seems to have targeted the Washington family and when he finally got his hands on one of them, he couldn't help himself. Or at least, that is our theory. You found him like that?”

Chris nodded. He had been the one to tie Josh to the chair.

_“Stay still man,” Mike said._

_“Right, right, right right… Still…” Josh had said, sounding nothing like himself. “Can’t tie ‘em up if they just wiggle around… Leave me a little wiggle room, huh?”_

_Chris had been the one to tie him up._

_“Ow! Not so tight, okay? Not so tight, okay! Can’t wiggle around. Plastic ties. That’s where it’s at. Yeah. Plastic ties, plastic ties. Way more effective for hostage type scenarios.”_

_It had been hard for Chris to watch. He had said so, and Mike had asked if Josh had ever said anything like this before._

_“Guaranteed for at least three hostages, or your money back,” Josh had rambled._

_“No, I’ve never seen him like this…” Chris had whispered. He had been so afraid. Afraid Josh was slipping away into some world of insanity that he could never get him back from._

 

“Yes,” Chris said tiredly. He didn’t want to remember. The memories hurt too much.

The woman nodded. “We believe you Chris,” she said. “The man who followed you has been on the wanted list for over a year, and we still haven’t found him. I promise you, we will though. And when we do, we will bring him to justice.”

She stood and left the room.

“Good luck with that,” Chris mumbled. The man who had helped him was most likely dead anyway.

 

*

I took a week for them to even get Josh talking. In the beginning, he would nod or shake his head when they asked him questions.

“Was it your idea to bring everyone back to Blackwood Pines?”

Josh nodded. It had been his idea, yes, but only after Chris had mentioned it. They had been sitting in Josh’s bedroom four months after Hannah and Beth’s disappearance, just trying to keep up a normal conversation.

_“Do you ever think we will go back there?” Chris had asked. Josh had stared out of the window for what felt like a full hour before he answered._

_“Yes,” he had said, turning to give Chris a small smile. “Yes, I think we will.”_

It was then his mind started spinning. His meds had made it hard for him at first, but as soon as he began to skip doses, the ideas had flowed to him. Being the son of a film producer, Josh knew a lot about setting up scenes and creating special effects. His project became bigger and bigger, and he started to disappear for weeks without anyone knowing where he had gone. It took him six months to prepare everything, and all the while he had to keep it a secret and cover his tracks. No one could know. Not even Chris.

 

After a few sessions with a therapist asking the questions, Josh began to loosen up.

“How did you get those wounds?” the therapist asked. He was a young man, no older than 25 with short-cropped light brown hair and stubble. Quite handsome in Josh’s opinion.

“He hit me,” he mumbled, his hand going up to touch where Chris had landed his blow. “Yelled at me.”

“Who did?”

Josh didn’t answer. Chris had hit him. He had let Mike shove him to the ground, bend his arms backwards in a painful angle, even point a gun at me.

“He had a gun… Thought he was gonna shoot me… Chris hit him.”

“Did Chris cut you lose?”

Josh nodded again. Chris had come back for him.

_“Ssssssh,” Chris said soothingly, his thumb stroking Josh’s cheekbone. “I’m gonna get you out of here. You’re gonna be fine, Josh.”_

The therapist nodded and noted something on his board.

 

“Their stories match,” he had overheard the therapist say when they thought he was asleep. “Some small details are different, but they have been through a lot. I think you should let them see each other.”

“Not yet,” the woman had replied. “I want to talk to Christopher one more time. Just to make sure.”

The therapist had sighed, but not objected. “Fine. But do it tomorrow. They need to rest.”

Josh had spent the rest of the night wondering if he would ever see Chris again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is a bit longer than the last one, but not as long as I wanted it to be. I just couldn't find a way to continue, so I decided to cut it and then do a small time-skip in between the chapters instead. Thank you all so much for the kudos and the comments, they inspire me to continue writing this story! I have already figured out an ending for this, and the next chapter will most likely be the last.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a lot of arguing with the doctors, Chris and Josh finally go home and find comfort in each other's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last chapter of this series you guys! I want to thank everyone who has commented and given me kudos, you have all inspired me to finish this fic! If you want to, you can go follow me on tumblr for more climbing class spam and eventually new fics, my url is ladyofthenorthernlights!

Chris was awake when she entered the room. One of the nurses had come in just half an hour ago and told him to get some rest, because he was going to see Josh on the morrow. Of course, this only lead to him staring into the roof, re-running all the details of the last week through his mind. He never pictured it would come to this when he got into that Cable Car with Sam. He still didn’t want to believe she was dead. It was just so wrong. Sam was everything but death. She was life, and happy smiles and teasing words. He could still hear her playful words ring through his mind, clear as a bell.

_“A match made in heaven,” she had teased after he told her how he and Josh met._

It seemed a million years ago, in a land far, far away. Like it had happened with complete strangers. Sam wasn’t dead, not really. None of them were. Not Ashley, or Jessica or Emily. Not Mike and Matt. He refused to believe it. He couldn’t believe it.

“I’m sorry to-“ a voice said, snapping Chris out of his spinning thoughts. “Oh, I didn’t expect you to be awake.”

Chris narrowed his eyes, then reached out to grab his glasses from the nightstand. When he put them on, he saw it was the police officer who had questioned him earlier.

“I was just thinking,” he mumbled, shifting in the bed to sit upright.

“I could come back tomorrow morning,” the officer said. “I’m actually not supposed to speak to you before then, but I have questions… I hope you don’t mind.”

Chris looked at her, weighing her words. She had already threatened him with not getting to see Josh again, and he suspected that if he refused her now, their reunion would be pushed back even further. They had been in the hospital for over a week and apart from small updates, Chris had no idea how Josh was doing. He sighed, knowing there was no use to object.

“What do you want to know?” he asked. His voice was flat and tired, but she didn’t seem to notice.

“I just find it… Weird,” she said, taking a seat beside the bed. “How you got those wounds. Because as far as the experts goes, those have been caused by animal claws. No human blade can make such cuts. I have a feeling there’s something you’re not telling me. And you know that it is a serious crime to lie to the authorities.”

Chris bit his tongue. She had him. He was too exhausted to come up with another lie, and what else could he say. That he didn’t remember? She didn’t buy that the last time, so why would she now? But if he told the truth, she wouldn’t believe him. And it might cause for both him and Josh to be locked up in some insane asylum.

“I… You wouldn’t believe me if I told the truth,” Chris muttered, looking down into his lap.

“Try me.”

There was no going back now. He had to tell her, or risk not getting to see Josh again.

“There’s this… _thing_ up on the mountain.”

“Thing,” the officer repeated. Chris nodded slowly.

“It attacked us when we tried to escape… I shot it with the shotgun and disappeared… I have no idea what it was.”

There was a look of suspicion and disbelief on the officer’s face. She nodded slowly and Chris could see the lack of approval in her frown.

“So this… This _thing_ attacked you and Josh. What did it look like?”

Chris hesitated, then began to describe the Wendigo as best as he could. The officer nodded, but she didn’t take notes. She only listened carefully, weighing his words as he told her about pushing Josh into the Cable Car while trying to deal with the Wendigos, though he made sure not to use the word “Wendigo”. He only described them as “the beast” or “the thing”.

“He saved my life,” Chris concluded. “More than once. And I will never stop being in his debt.”

The officer looked at him for a long moment, then pushed herself to her feet.

“Thank you for your time Christopher,” she said, somewhat distantly. “The nurses will pick you up at nine to see Mr Washington. Try to get some rest.”

Chris nodded, feeling somewhat relieved. The officer walked to the door, then hesitated at the handle. She turned towards him with a strange look in her eyes.

“Don’t get your hopes up too high. Josh is broken. He will never be the way he used to.”

She left the room before Chris could even digest her words.

 

*

Josh was sitting nervously in the soft couch in the small room. There was a huge mirror on one of the walls and it didn’t take a genius to figure that a bunch of doctors and people with tranquilizers were standing on the other side, ready to take action at any time.

He had been told to wait until Chris arrived. The huge clock on the wall told him it was 08:56. Chris would be here at nine.

_“Josh.”_

He looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. The room was empty. All he could see was the mirror, the clock and the door. There only piece of furniture in this white-painted room was the couch.

_“You killed us Josh.”_

_This time he could see them. Hannah and Beth stood before him, hand in hand. Beth’s skin was grey and dead, one of her eyes missing while the other was milk white. He could see bits of bone where the skin had rotted away. But it was Hannah who terrified him the most. She barely looked like his sister anymore. Her jaw was twisted, her teeth razor sharp fangs and her eyes a pale yellow._

_“Time’s up Josh,” Beth said, taking a step towards him. Behind her, a huge clock was ticking._

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

“No,” Josh stammered, squirming back in the couch seat. “No, please, no.”

_“We miss you Josh,” Hannah said. Blood was running down her chin. “Why won’t you come with us?”_

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

“No, go away… Please, go away… Leave me alone…”

_“Come with us Josh,” Hannah and Beth said in unison. “We miss you Josh.”_

“No… No no no no…”

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

“Josh!”

The sound of Chris’ voice snapped him back into reality. He realised that he was curled up in the couch, knees drawn to his chest and his hands covering his ears. He had been muttering to himself.

The look on Chris’ face was heart-breaking. There was so much fear and sadness in his eyes.

Without thinking, Josh got up from the couch and threw himself into Chris’ arms, burying his face in his neck. For a moment, Chris stood still. Then Josh felt strong arms wrap around him. For the first time since he got here, he felt safe.

 

*

 

It took two days of phone calls and persuading the doctors to let them go home. Some meant that it wasn’t safe for Josh to be at home where they could not monitor him, while others agreed that Josh would do better in safe and familiar environments. The lack of parental response wasn’t helping Chris’ case either. Bob and Melinda Washington were currently in India shooting a film, and had no opportunity to get back to their mentally ill son for at least three months. Chris’ parents weren’t at hand either, since his father’s job had transferred him to Boston eight months ago, leaving their only son with an average-sized apartment and more than enough money to do as he wanted.

However, Chris tackled this obstacle with proposing to personally care for Josh.  He had been deemed mentally stable by the doctors, and his wounds were healing the way they were supposed to. An elderly man, Dr Alan Hill, who had been one of Josh’s previous psychiatrists, suggested that if Chris were to live with Josh and make sure he got to every therapy session, they would be allowed to go home. To Chris’ relief, the other doctors had agreed and the next day the two of them found themselves in the back of a car, heading towards the Washington Manor.

Josh was quiet during the whole ride, just staring absently out of the window, clearly preoccupied with his own thoughts. Chris was worried, because he had never seen Josh like this before. He was so used to the guy with the easy smiles and horrible jokes that despite everything in his past, managed to stay positive. Sure, Josh had his issues. He would drink too much at parties, and the last year he had taken antidepressants that were too strong. Chris could still remember the mood swings he used to have. But it was worse now that he was off his meds. It was the lack of medication that had led to this mess after all. He knew he would have to be strict about it, and make sure Josh got the right dosage. He also knew that Josh wouldn’t like it one bit, but that was one of the conditions to let him go back home. And Chris was positive that if the choice stood between a handful of pills every morning, or a white, padded room, Josh would choose the first option. At least he hoped he would.

 

*

 

_“Hello there my special little subjects.”_

_The room was dimly lit, just enough for the camera to capture the action. The sound of the saw blades nearly drowned out the pleading cries of Ashley and Chris’ cursing. One could almost touch the tension in the room._

_“I’m so scared, Chris,” Ashley whimpered, tears streaming down her face._

_“Don’t be scared,” Chris replied, trying to sound reassuring._

_“Oh, you should be, Ash, because here’s the twist: Chris has made one fatal choice already today, and now he must make another. Chris… You can take that gun in front of you and shoot Ashley, or you can shoot yourself. Whoever is left, can live! The choice is yours!”_

_Chris had tried to shoot the mechanism that was slowly lowering the saw blades, but there was no use. He had to make the choice. Ashley was crying, begging him to shoot her, because she believed he had saved him earlier. In truth, he had chosen to save Josh, but something went wrong when he pulled the lever. He had meant for Josh to live. And he had watched his best friend die in the most brutal way imaginable._

_“Chris, please,” Ashley pleaded. In his mind, he could still hear the sickening scream that had come from Josh as the saw blade ate through his body. The choice was simple. With one swift movement, he put the gun to his head. He could hear Ashley scream, but it didn’t matter. Josh was dead. He had been so much more than just Chris’ best friend. He had been his brother. His constant companion. And… Too often, the words “I love you, you idiot” had come to Chris’ lips, but he had never uttered them. At first, he had thought it was only platonic love, but in time he had realised it was so much more than that. And in that moment, with death staring into his eyes, he knew that he truly loved Josh. But Josh was dead. And he had no further reason to live._

_He pulled the trigger._

 

*

 

They ended up sleeping in the same bed that night. It somehow seemed safer, though none of them would admit it, and the bed in Josh’s room was more than big enough for both of them. It was awkward at first, since Chris usually slept in another room when he stayed the night at Josh’s, but as they entered the small hours of the night, they found themselves huddling close together, both for warmth and for comfort. At some point in the early morning, Chris had wrapped one arm around Josh’s slender frame, and Josh was resting his head against Chris’ shoulder.

In the morning, they did not speak of it, just as if nothing had happened. Instead, Chris drove Josh to his appointment and then spent the waiting hours wandering around town. For a moment, he managed to forget what had happened, and things felt almost normal. But then he spotted that small vintage store Ashley and Sam always dragged him into and he had to go sit down on a bench to keep from breaking apart.

Josh had his first proper breakdown the next night. He woke up, all sweaty and confused after thrashing around for ten minutes. And when he woke, Chris had a hard time to calm him down and assure him that it was only a dream. When Josh finally snapped back to reality, he curled close to Chris.

“Don’t leave me,” Josh mumbled.

“Never,” Chris assured him.

 

*

 

“You kissed me,” Josh said one afternoon while they were playing a round of Call of Duty. “Back on the mountain.”

Chris was so aback by the comment that he managed to miss the zombie that was attacking him. Josh snorted and paused the game. They had been back at Josh’s place for almost two weeks now, and barely even talked about the events of that night. Josh seemed a lot more stable now, but he still had bad dreams and small breakdowns in the night.

“I did?” Chris said after a pause. His face was already beginning to turn red.

Josh grinned at him, seeming almost his old self. “You did. Dude, I wasn’t _that_ out of it.”

Chris picked up the pace and gave Josh a challenging look in return.

“You sure, because you were pretty fucking out of it man.”

“You’re right,” Josh said. “Maybe I just imagined it.”

He shrugged and turned his gaze back to the TV screen. “After all, it wouldn’t be the first time.”

Chris nearly choked on his words. Was he hearing right?

“I’m sorry… What?” There was disbelief in Chris’ voice, but underneath there was also a tiny hint of hope.

“You heard me Cochise,” Josh hummed, un-pausing the game. “It is that one thing that keeps haunting me at night.”

“Was it that terrible?” Chris asked, raising an eyebrow. Josh laughed. It was the first time Chris had heard him properly laugh since they got back.

“No,” Josh said, the amusement clear in his voice. “I just keep wishing you’ll do it again. I actually liked it.”

Chris’ face was beet red, but he managed a laugh. “Okay, you’ve definitely lost your mind bro.”

“I would say ‘no homo’, but that would strictly be a lie. And my therapist says I’m not supposed to lie about my feelings.”

This was all getting too much for Chris and he paused the game again. “Seriously Josh, it’s not funny.”

Josh’s expression changed, and became much more serious. “Who said I was joking?”

Chris couldn’t help the goofy smile that came to his lips, and he bowed his head while chuckling quietly. Josh put down his controller and moved closer to Chris, lightly lifting his chin. They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, then Josh smiled softly.

“Thank you for saving me Cochise,” he mumbled before leaning in and softly brushing his lips against Chris’. For a split second, Chris tensed up, but then he leaned into the kiss, arms wrapping around Josh. His heart was hammering so loudly he was sure Josh could hear it.

When Josh pulled back, he was grinning again, looking so damn pleased with himself. Chris could not help but smile back, because despite everything, they would always have each other. And that’s all that really mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And eventually they will go to the Bone Zone. But not in this fic. I am planning to write another one eventually (holy shit that will be my third climbing class fic) that is more centered about actually falling for each other and struggling with homophobic parents, drinking problems and how good Chris' arms look when he is wearing t-shirts. Again, my tumblr is ladyofthenorthernlights and I post a lot of climbing class related stuff so if you want more of this, go follow me there.
> 
> Thank you all so much for taking the time to read, it means a lot to me!


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